DE 10 2004 002 888 A1 has a gas turbine end-pipe seal that seals a space between an end pipe and a combustion gas annular space. A hot gas flow, which then flows into the turbine, forms in the annular space. In this case, the annular space has a cross-section which increases in the direction of the turbine (downstream). This reduces the wear in the turbine-encasing housing due to repeated thermal expansion. With regard to the connection between the combustion chamber pipe end and the annular space, DE 10 2004 002 888 A1 discloses a flange for a combustion chamber and a corresponding U-shaped groove for the annular space. To connect the combustion chamber with the annular space, the flange is entered into the groove (plug-in connection). The end of the combustion chamber is connected to the combustion gas annular space by means of an end-pipe seal. In this case, the channel or groove has a U-shaped cross-section in an end section of the end-pipe seal. The flange of the combustion chamber end is inserted into the channel or groove.
JP 2004301115 A also discloses a plug-in system for the connection of the combustion chamber to an annular space. In this case also, a flange or flange-type connection is formed at the combustion chamber pipe end. The annular space also has a groove. The flange is inserted into the groove to connect the combustion chamber to the annular space. In addition, both components are connected to each other by a bolted connection.
With connections, according to the prior art, between the combustion chamber and an adjacent sealing segment, for example an annular space, for the transfer of the hot gas to a turbine, the connections are in the form of meshing sheet-metal designs. These have a groove on the sealing segment and a flange on the combustion chamber pipe end, which are attached by plugging directly into each other. Furthermore, the end of the sealing segment lies in contact with the turbine. The hot gas thus flows from the combustion chamber pipe end via the sealing segment into the turbine. The sheet-metal structure is designed so that slight relative movements of the turbine, which take place in and against the direction of flow of the hot gas, are accommodated. The sheet-metal structure is rigidly connected to the combustion chamber end pipe. The sheet-metal structure and sealing segment shown here are, however, subject to strong thermal and mechanical deformations during operation and therefore to impermissible leaks and high wear. This leads to a shorter service life of the sheet-metal structure and of the sealing segment and consequently to frequent maintenance operations on the sheet-metal structure.
This type of design therefore represents a maintenance-intensive, weak point in the transition area between the combustion chamber pipe end and the turbine inlet and is worthy of improvement.